OT: Buying from China

[ludwigsok]

So, I'm looking at buying a new Ipod Classic on ebay and 99% of the new ones are coming from China. Shipping is obviously longer, but has anyone else done this and what was your experience? The english in the description makes me a little nervous. But I also know this is where they come from.

 

[pgm554]

bought die cast rims from eBay that shipped from China and it was OK.
The problem is if you need to ship back because it's defective,it will cost you $$$$

 

[bpaluzzi]

Those have been discontinued for over 6 years. I'd assume anything coming out as "new" is a fake, regardless of country of origin.

 

[Vistalite Black]

I'd buy one on Amazon and have it by THanksgiving. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VKQT7P...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[Mcjnic]

I do not make it a habbit of purchasing from China. There are a considerable number of variables involved ... none of which are geopolitical (which should not be discussed here). I don't send cash, utilize credit, nor would I attach routing numbers to ANY deal that involved China. It is an unsecured move that should not be acted out.
You asked. That's my business practices.

I will take a moment to focus on the actual iPod now.
I own several older iPods ... classics, nanos, etc etc etc.
I really like those. Great performing gadgets and last and last and last.
If the HD should go out of one of those classics, they are easily replaced with a swappable HD located online.
Just a neat little invention.

 

[Deafmoon]

I have gotten very good service from Europe during Covid but have not bought anything from China. It’s not the shipping time, it’s the moving through US Customs time that you need to be aware of. If you can wait, you will probably be able to get all the product you want from China free and clear within a year.

 

[Old Drummer]

I bought a battery from China, even after reading posts advising me against that. The appeal of buying from China was the much lower price, about $60 as opposed to over $200, so I risked it.

I couldn't get the battery to work. I hoped the problem was faulty connections, so I twice trotted off to my local shop to mess with the connections. That didn't help. Although I never tested the battery itself (which is beyond my home capabilities and would have cost me more money and hassle), I was pretty sure the battery was defective. I therefore contacted the seller only to discover that my 30 day warranty had expired.

I eventually sprang the over $200 required for a real battery (that works fine).

China makes a lot of decent stuff, including a lot of decent drum stuff, but you're kind of on your own when you buy random things directly from China. I was advised against doing that, but did it anyway only to waste my time and money. YMMV.

 

[midnightsupperclub]

i buy a fair amout of stuff from China and used to travel there regularly for work.

For simple stuff like hardware, home DIY materials, generic or unbranded stuff, I'd say the China goods may range from decent to very high quality. But for anything branded or proprietary, I'd recommend staying away from the China sellers.

In the case of the ipod here, it might look and feel like the real thing, and it might even be able to store and play mp3 files. But when you try to sync it, iTunes probably won't recognize it as a proper Apple device and will not sync. Or your computer might detect it as a 160GB device, but it will run out of storage after transferring about a hundred songs. I've seen this happen with USB drives sold by street vendors.

For your ipod, I'd highly recommend going with a reputable seller with a solid refund policy. Someone on Amazon, a proper american store on eBay, or a used one in good condition.

 

[pwc1141]

Pre-Covid I ordered a few inexpensive things from China but ONLY where cash-on-delivery was possible - which its was through a local order service. Apart from a shirt that was very poorly made and a cheap external hard drive that was defective, I guess 10 other items were as advertised. Living in Asia made those deliveries quick but these days I have avoided anything from China because of some postal delays due Covid and other risks. Frankly anything over a few dollars is best bought in a trustworthy shop nearby .....

 

[shilohjim]

Avoid anything from China like the plague.

 

[CSR]

Avoid anything from China like the plague.

Avoid anything from China (like the plague).

 

[jptrickster]

No more meat for me from the wet market

 

[Matched Gripper]

No more meat for me from the wet market

Or the dry market!

 

[Old PIT Guy]

Avoid anything from China like the plague.

There's gonna be a lot of phones and computers in the landfill.

 

[wraub]

I don't do it, and won't do it.
ymmv.